Jason Hills
For MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON — Adversity can make you or break you, and with all the early season challenges the MacEwan Griffins have faced so far this year, one thing is certain — they're not going to break, they're going to battle no matter the outcome
MacEwan lost in straight sets (25-21-25-18, 25-12) to the Alberta Pandas on Friday night at the David Atkinson Gym, but they didn't make it easy on their cross-town rivals
Alyshia Bryks led MacEwan with five kills and five digs, while Andi Krawec and Arden Butler had four each for the Griffins. Krawec also led MacEwan with 11 digs in the loss. Payton Shimoda recorded 16 assists for MacEwan.
Abby Guezen led Alberta with 11 kills and five digs, while Laila Johnson chipped in with eight in the Pandas victory
"We came to compete tonight, that's exactly what we did. Payton (Shimoda) was outstanding in her compete level, and delivered the ball very well and made prime decisions in key moments," said Griffins head coach Chris Wandler
"She was super effective, and as a group it was a really well-jointed effort."
MacEwan has been hit hard by the injury bug to start the year, and it's forced Wandler to juggle his lineup and put certain players in elevated roles.
In the opening set against Alberta, MacEwan traded points back and forth to make it 6-6, before the Pandas went on a 6-0 run, but there was a point in that run that sparked MacEwan.
An incredibly long rally that featured several big digs, players flying out of bounds to keep the ball in play, was finally ended on a nice tip from Pandas middle Ronnie Dickson, but MacEwan was able to gain momentum.
Down 20-15, two aces by Krawec and a nice tip from Shimoda closed the gap to 20-18, and MacEwan was right with the Pandas.
"It gave us the idea that we're in this. It gave us a lot of confidence from that one moment, and we can build our whole weekend on that," said Wandler about the long rally they lost in the opening set.
Arden Butler with the block!
— GriffinsWVB (@GriffinsWVB) November 9, 2024
Back and forth @CanadaWest action in the first set between @MacEwanGriffins and @PandasVB in front of a packed house at the David Atkinson Gym.
25-21 Pandas in the opening set.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/hdQFCYqT8W
In the second set, MacEwan came out strong, and a nice block from Evangeline Zeyha extended the Griffins lead to 8-5, and they were in control for a good portion of the second set.
Alberta eventually took the lead 13-12, and went on a 8-1 run to lead 20-13, but the Griffins didn't go away, they continued to push back, but after a nice kill from Anika Buys cut the lead to 22-18, the Pandas were able to close it out.
The Griffins currently might be battered and bruised and hit hard by the injury bug, but they're getting solid contributions from many of their younger inexperienced players.
It's not turned into a W yet, but the experience they're gaining is invaluable.
"Instead of letting this bring us down, we're using it as an opportunity to come closer together, and become a strong 13. That's all we have right now, so we want to be the best 13 we can be," said Griffins libero Madison Hoppus.
Wandler has been pleased with the efforts from several of his younger players who have been forced to step into the lineup and play a bigger role.
"They're stepping up, and they're playing the best they can. It's an opportunity for them, that's how I look at it, and they've done a tremendous job under really tough circumstances," said Wandler.
Andi Krawec, left, Payton Shimoda and Madison Hoppus emphatically celebrate a point on Friday night (James Maclennan photo).
The Pandas are a veteran-savvy team that boasts loads of experience, and in the third set, they took an early 4-3 lead, and then went on 15-6 run to blow it wide open, but after battling so hard in the first two sets, the Griffins didn't have much left.
"I think when you undergo pressure at a constant level, it tends to wear you down, and I think that's what happened in the third set," said Wandler.
"I thought with a very overpowering team that the Pandas have, we did a good job digging balls, but we didn't have that ability to put enough balls away.
"We need to bring that grit we had tonight into tomorrow, and hopefully finish off some more rallies. I thought we could've served the ball more assertively, and they were in system a little too much, but we will figure some things out and go out and battle tomorrow."
MacEwan and Alberta will wrap up their weekend series on Saturday at the David Atkinson Gym (3 p.m., Canada West TV).
